Let us face it, despite what Microsoft might say, the Xbox 360 is for all intents and purposes a computer wrapped in an egg white shell; why else would Microsoft add USB ports onto the thing and make it so a keyboard would work when plugged in? The system also has great storage abilities for music and photos, but how do you go about getting them into your system? And what about when you want to have more than two players come over to play your system? Well, Nyko have you in mind with their Multireader, so listen up if you find yourself asking those questions.

First up, the device is designed really nicely, as it is about as small as a wallet (only a tiny bit bigger) and is very smooth with a mostly white, glossy shell with what looks to be a green streaked blur across the top; overall it fits nicely with Microsoft's white and green motif. The Nyko Multireader has three main sides, one of which being the place where the USB chord connects from your reader to the 360, but the other two sides are the ones you'll spend the most time with, as one side features three separate ports for accepting USB cables, while the other side lets you accept various memory cards that go in various multimedia and technological devices. The only very minor complaint I have with the system design is that while all the other card slots face one way, the SD (Secure Digital) one, which I use the most in my camera, faces up and you have to remember that so you don't look like a goof constantly trying to shove the card in when it won't work that way (like pushing on a door when you really have to pull – you'll feel that stupid).

But beyond that little slight against the product, it worked perfectly for me as the memory card reader, because after plugging it into the system and putting in a memory card that still had pictures from Christmas, they all booted up and read and I was able to take them to my Xbox 360 hardrive. A nice thing about the memory card reader is that it doesn't just take one format and leave the other card users out there in the cold to ask why they won't be able to use it. The Nyko Multireader will accept Smart Media, Compact Flash, Memory Stick Pro, and Secure Digital. And like I said, it moved everything over smoothly and without any problems.

Probably the biggest thing about the Multireader, however, would be the USB Hub it acts like as well. Typically, the 360 allows for only two things to be connected through the USB ports, but with the Nyko Multireader you can turn two into four with the insert of a plug. You can use this hub to attach media players, cameras, drives, etc – almost anything that uses a USB cable and port. The big deal to many gamers is that it will allow you to hook up four wired 360 controllers into the front of one Xbox 360.

And to top it off, there isn't any type of software or such that has to be loaded for use, so all you really do is plug it in and boom, you are ready to go. I wish I could say more about it, but what else is there that I could say. It looks good, installs easily, and works without any errors. It sucks when a product doesn't have any major flaws, because at least then you can laugh about the system and trash it. I can't do that with the Nyko Multireader, because it is up to the task, and if you want an USB Hub or card reader, then this product gets the job done.

RATING:
Our Scoring System